Insulin therapy in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: Treatment to target fasting and postprandial blood glucose levels

High glucose induces the proliferation of prostatic cells via downregulating MRE11

The aim of the present study was to investigate the candidate genes and pathways associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and diabetes. In vitro experiments were performed using normal prostatic epithelial RWPE-1 and HPr-1 cells. The cell lines were treated with a high-glucose solution and MTS and bromodeoxyuridine assays were used to assess cell viability. Transcriptome sequencing was used to screen the candidate genes. The expression of candidate genes was further verified by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and western blotting. A meiotic recombination 11 (MRE11) overexpression vector was designed and transfected into RWPE-1 cells to verify the function of MRE11. A streptozotocin-induced diabetic rat model was established and rat MRE11 levels were determined by RT-qPCR and immunohistochemical staining. High concentrations of glucose resulted in RWPE-1 and HPr-1 cells with high viability. Transcriptome sequencing revealed that MRE11 was downregulated when RWPE-1 cells were exposed to high-glucose conditions. When MRE11 was overexpressed, cell viability decreased and cell apoptosis was induced under high-glucose conditions. Prostatic tissues from rats were collected and assessed; MRE11 expression was observed to be decreased, which was consistent with the in vitro cell experiments. BPH may be associated with diabetes, as MRE11 expression in prostatic cells was decreased when exposed to high-glucose conditions. Therefore, MRE11 may have potential as a biomarker for the early diagnosis of BPH and diabetes.

Options for the intensification of insulin therapy when basal insulin is not enough in type 2 diabetes mellitus

In the early treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), the addition of a basal insulin, such as insulin glargine, to existing oral therapy can help patients attain recommended glycaemic control targets, including haemoglobin A(1c) (HbA(1c)) <7% and fasting blood glucose <5.5 mmol/l (<100 mg/dl). For patients close to but not at target, the management of postprandial glucose excursions with a rapid-acting insulin, such as insulin glulisine, can provide further improvements in glycaemic control. In this review, the options for intensifying insulin therapy with the addition of one or more daily doses of prandial insulin are discussed. In addition, the advantages/disadvantages of choosing a basal-bolus vs. a premixed insulin strategy are discussed. A conceptually simple approach for the treatment of T2DM is for optimization of the basal insulin dose (added to oral antidiabetic drugs) to target fasting glycaemia followed by the addition of a single prandial dose of rapid-acting insulin to target the largest glucose excursion. A second and third dose of prandial insulin can then be added if HbA(1c) remains above target and to manage postprandial glucose excursions at other meals. Prospective studies are underway to further examine this concept and determine the benefit of this approach not only on overall glycaemic control but also on cardiovascular risk.

When basal insulin therapy in type 2 diabetes mellitus is not enough--what next?

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a progressive disease characterized by co-existing insulin deficiency (relative) and insulin insensitivity. Both fasting and post-prandial blood glucose are elevated, exposing the patient to acute and chronic complications due to micro- and macro-vascular angiopathy. Improving glycaemic control has been demonstrated to lower the risk of these complications. Owing to the progressive nature of the disease, an evolving treatment strategy is necessary to maintain glycaemic control. Insulin therapy is required when dietary and lifestyle modifications combined with oral hypoglycaemic agents fail to provide adequate glycaemic control. Adding an optimized dose of basal insulin to the existing oral therapy is a simple and widely used method for initiating insulin therapy. However, despite an effective control of fasting hyperglycaemia, further intervention to control post-prandial hyperglycaemia may become necessary to achieve HbA1c targets. Strategies for the addition of prandial insulin include administering short-acting (or rapid-acting) insulin analogues before each meal or twice-daily administration of pre-mixed insulin. As a single large meal often contributes to the greatest part of daytime hyperglycaemia, an alternative strategy is emerging with the addition of a single injection of prandial insulin prior to the meal that induces the largest post-prandial blood glucose excursion measured 2 h after the start of the meal. Over time, additional prandial boluses of insulin may be required to sustain daytime glycaemic control. This strategy offers a simple, stepwise approach to progress from basal insulin to a basal-bolus regimen. Studies are needed to validate this method and better define specific titration tactics.